Yesterday I was browsing through my drive way coupons (you know the ones; they are part of the flyers and the local paper insert thrown in your driveway once a week). Flipping through I was forced to stop by an adorable cartoon dog and cat. It said “Purina Be Happy Brand Pet Foods” with a coupon for both dog and cat food and text that said “at Target”. I thought the ad was unique and adorable. The colors used and the style of the cartoon dog and cat were nothing like I had ever seen in a coupon insert.

I decided then I would purchase the food for my pets the next time I went shopping.

Later that night, I had to run to Target for laundry soap and thought I’d look for the Be Happy food, what I found was surprising, all the Be Happy cat food was gone and there was only two bags of the Be Happy dog food left. Obviously, the ads stood out to more people than just me.

I am often asked, “Do I have to market my company?” ” Do I have to tell people about my product?”” Do I have to explain to people what I do?” ‘Do I have to tell people about myself on my website?” The short answer: Yes! You have to market and sell everything in your life if you want it to be the best it can be.

The long answer is best explained by telling you my story about my mom who marketed and sold my brother and I the benefits of getting good grades, doing our chores, and staying healthy with Friday night celebrations.

It started around the third grade, my mom would wake my brother and I for school every day, but on Friday, we would be awoken by an, IT’S FRIDAYYYY!!!!!, yell of excitement. We would jump out of bed, get ready for school and be on our way. This was never how we acted on a Monday morning, ever. Fridays were different, they were fun and to be celebrated.